I think enough time has passed that I can reveal a secret. At the time of the Movie's release, I worked in a mall across the hall from an arcade. Whenever their machines would malfunction, I would fix them. they always opened the machine doors for me and clicked off lots of credits. When the Tron machine arrived, the instructions said that they were to put it in the back room and not to put it out on the floor until the movie's opening day. they invited me over to play the game in the back room every night after closing. We played for hours every night for the next week. On opening day, everyone around me watching me play the game was amazed at how good I was on the first day!!
I really didn't expect myself to sit here and watch the entire hour and 50 minutes, but it was so well put together. Awesome job - and game at that. LOVE the movies. Awesome stuff.
I was hoping that the Discs of Tron game was one of the mini games, I played a PC version of it back in the 90s that felt pretty amazing, although the 80s version is essentially the building block for it. Congratulations on managing to restore or rebuild this one, unlimited credits deserved!
@@denimadept Probably but I bet it wouldn't feel as rewarding to build a new Tron cabinet as it probably does to save and restore one like this. Not only will the cabinet be special to Tod now but this cabinet which tons of people have probably got memories of playing at their arcade will continue on for a while longer now. Granted the original guts are gone but quite often even non-working things can be sentimental to people. Some of the people who even played on this very cabinet may see this and be glad it got an extra life.
This brings back a flood of memories. I remember watching my cousin playing the TRON arcade game at the theater and then seeing the movie. My nine year old mind was blown. I know the arcade game came out in August of 1980 (a full month after the film release) so it would have probably been September when we saw the movie. Thanks for bringing back this great piece of 80’s culture. Now, if I had just held on to all those Battlestar Gallactica toys ………
I'd have taken off a larger chunk just to save time. I love restoring things, but actually recompressing the chipboard to its original form ...a bit too much for me. But it's nice to see someone be so meticulous. I plan not to restore a cabinet, but to create a copy of the millepede cabaret, with modern replacement CPU (Pi or PC) but with a CRT.
@@tcurtis49 I make/restore guitar speaker cabinets. I wouldn't have been that patient. LOL I would have measured [and re-measured] to remake the cabinet from scratch out of birch ply.
I remember this being one of the loudest games I every played. I know there is a volume control, and maybe that was the way it came from the factory, but I remember how immersed in sound I was playing this at the age of 13-14. And I LOVE the theme song played in the game before the start of the levels!
Beautiful. I restored a pair of San Francisco RUSH The Rock a few years back. I wanted to keep them after it was done, but they ended up going to a good home instead. I just found your channel today and I'm already thinking about getting back into arcade restoration again.
I remember when I first saw this movie, I thought it would be so AWESOME to live in a loft above my own full arcade. My friends would have been so envious.
I am 25 years old. I love you videos. What you do for the retro community is invaluable to us, whether most people my age know it not. The same goes for the 8-bit guy, adrian black, and all the other retro hobbyists out there. Your knowledge is invaluable. I know these are just video games, but they are a key part of history, so thank you.
I loved Tron back in the 80s, the arcade I used to go to had a stand-up one that you walk into and you play it standing up but it's a cabinet that you're fully inside of, the speakers were like a surround sound inside of it, was super cool!
That was probably the sequel, Environmental Discs of Tron. It had a really unique cabinet like you are describing. Unless maybe they made a version of that for the original Tron. I’m not sure.
Wow! Took me back to the arcade on the Navy base in Port Hueneme, California. I was 9 years old and absolutely sucked at it but loved the look so much. Once I quickly lost my dollars worth of quarters, I would become that annoying kid looking over the edge of the cabinet to watch. LOL Good Times! Thanks for sharing your restoration.
Great video. Watched it start to finish. Back in the day (81, 82?) I spent all my quarters on a lonely "Starcastle" game at a local supermarket. Life moved on, but in @1998 I was at an auction house. They had a Starcastle game. It didn't work but I bought it for 10 bucks. It did not have a back plate. I closed the micro switch and it worked. I still have it to this day. I found spare main, power boards and a spare control panel. I also found the original repair manual. With all the spare parts It should outlive me. Other than a tiny audio issue it works perfect. It's still my favorite game.
I'm impressed. I saw the water damage of that particle board and was thinking "use the cabined to make a replacement template, outsource for the graphics" but that would have been even more expensive I guess. Makes sense to have done the resin and filler pours. Well done sir, and you've taught me a thing or 2
I was impressed by the result and will likely try it again on my next project. But it would have been perfectly logical to just cut new sides. I certainly like to see what I can save whenever possible and was glad to keep the original sideart on it. Thanks!
You sir, are a master. I would've not even started on this one. The worst I ever had was a seemingly (at some point) waterlogged Joust where I eventually gave up on the cabinet and traded it out for one in better condition, moving all the electronics etc. to the replacement. The guy I traded it to gave up on it too. I *did* warn him ahead of time.
That’s a lot of passion to rebuild a cabinet in that condition. I have repaired particleboard furniture, using 30 minute two-part epoxy with micro balloons. It makes for a very strong Repair and the micro balloons thicken up the epoxy just enough to shape areas without the epoxy flowing out. I would love to have my own Tron cabinet someday but At this point, All I have is movie memorabilia and collectibles from the original movie as well as legacy. It is the one game I’ve dreamt about all my life ever since I walked into an arcade in 1982 put my first quarter in. My late father had taken me to see the movie and I was hooked from that very minute. I’m in the process of moving and will have a small Arcade room built, but I will only start with a legends ultimate. It’s funny that I’m obsessed with the game that I can only get through level three on each of the games.
Someone else suggested adding talc. Lately I’ve been using very fine sawdust and it works really well to thicken it just a bit. Glad you liked the video and good luck with the arcade!
This is so impressive. Not much phases me anymore these days, having been on the internet for so long now, but this craftsmanship and level of bravery to take this daunting project on in the first place, truly amazed me in the realest sense of the word.
I’m glad to help redeem the internet, at least for today :) Thanks for the nice compliment. Daunting is probably the best word to describe what I thought when I first saw it in person.
I used to have a Battlezone I scored from the curb near my parents house when I was in college. After several years in their garage and I hadn't worked on fixing it I had to sell it on eBay. I hope it ended up somewhere good like this Tron did.
One of the iconic arcade machines of my day, I'm insanely jealous of your abilities to get this from a messed up carcass to a cabinet that wouldn't look out of place in the mid 80's when I played them to death. Much respect man.
I'm always on the lookout for games that had some meaning for me. Getting them back to where I can feel those same feelings from walking around in an arcade in the 80s is really rewarding. I appreciate the kind words :)
Well done sir! Very impressed with your work, no corner cutting! I wish more people would took pride in their work these days like you show here. Awesome job!
Watching the electrical portion makes me miss working on aviation electronics like I did in the Navy. I worked I-level at AIMD. I used to love troubleshooting electronic boards with the Huntron Tracker 2 and an Oscilloscope, plus doing 3M soldering. I did a lot of work on a lot of different electronic systems as well as engine systems. It is not all that different than what he does in this video just we had more troubleshooting equipment options. You can do a lot like he did with the multimeter as well. Those were fun days as well as very busy days.
It's always satisfying doing troubleshooting. I have an oscilloscope now so I'm learning a few new things along the way. I definitely enjoy that part more than the cabinet work. Thanks!
Good video. I still have my original stand up Tron arcade machine that looks like yours. Never replaced a part yet. The joystick is slightly loose, but no other problems. 100% playable and responsive. Feels like a lot of power firing up the machine and monitor... hums almost... 1980's tech. Good deal with your restore.
Honestly, that is the best restoration video I have ever watched. I am an avid Tron film follower and to watch you practically rebuild it from start to finish was amazing.
I have some very fond memories of playing this game. Sadly it has never been included in any official, licensed arcade compilations, and it is unplayable on MAME because of the required spinner control. ETA: I would have thought that deterioated particleboard was beyond salvage. I am very impressed with the results!
Thanks! It is tough on an emulator to get the experience. It’s one reason I try to look for games to keep that are unique with their controls. But I’ll take anything in need of love :)
I dont normal watch very long videos, but this was very interesting, Enjoyed how much hard work and love goes into restoring an Arcade machine... Keeping gaming history alive 👾
Amazing work, as a former vending / videogame / pinball repair tech, you did much more work than our 'professional' jobs. Congrats, and wonderful work.
Much appreciated. Time is not money when it’s just a hobby so I can take a little longer with the repairs and restorations, and sometimes go a little overboard. Thanks!
I owned a coin-op route business from 1993 to 1999 with many locations from fun centers to convenience stores and any place that would let us put a machine in. That's where I first cut my teeth learning electronics diagnostics and repair and all kinds of other things. I purchased Randy Fromm's Arcade School on VHS, watched those and spent a good deal of time in the back of the Colorado Game Exchange with the repair techs learning from them. I moved on to other ventures, but I'll always have a deep love for arcades and arcade machines. You did a top notch job restoring this Tron! I really appreciate that you did everything properly and didn't do any hack jobs like I see a few other arcade (and automotive) channels do consistently. You earned a sub!
The hack that really grates on me is when they encourage sanding on point contacts/switches which will make them work temporarily but removes the thin high quality contact alloy metal exposing the cheap metal underneath that degrades quickly. The guy I purchased my first few machines from told me to sand those contacts with a nail file to clean them, and I completely ruined an antique electro-mechanical pinball machine doing that not long after. It was one of the techs at the CGE that taught me that contacts need cleaning, not sanding, and that the proper way is any chemical or non-abrasive that will remove gunk and polish but not damage the contact finish, one of his common tools was a simple pink eraser, sometimes with some contact cleaner; a pink eraser and D5 is my go to now. Some people laugh in my face when I try to teach them this eraser trick, but it works quick and easy without any damage. This works on any metal contact, points, edge connectors, pins, etc.
Thanks! I try to do what's best in the long run as much as possible by listening to the pros but always learning new things as I go. I've used a pink eraser forever cleaning contacts--I still do it from time to time, but once I got used to using a fiberglass brush and deoxit I've just stuck with it. Much appreciated and I am in the middle of some interesting projects right now that I can hopefully detail before long.
@@tcurtis49 I may have to try one of those fiberglass brushes, it looks like they work great. Everything I've watched you do from cabinet repair on that old dodgy fiber board to your ability to diagnose and decipher a schematic to get those crazy wonky old boards running if I was still running a coin-op route I would hire you immediately. I do think you've moved beyond just a hobbyist, you do a lot better job than several arcade channels that tout themselves as professional. If I didn't have so much going on right now I would be doing a cap kit on my stand up Double Dragon, you've kinda given me the bug again.
That's very kind and I've picked up a lot from doing it for so long. I started buying arcade games at auctions in the mid 1990s while in dental school in Indianapolis. I've always been a technology nerd and a computer programmer so that helped me understand the technical side of things. The rest has been trial and error, seeing what other people are doing, and having some artistic and hand coordination skills from being an orthodontist. But it really comes down to patience and taking things one step at a time. I appreciate the thought and hope you have fun when you get to the cap kit--I have 2 G07s to rebuild as part of my ongoing projects this weekend myself that I've been putting off.
As someone who has put countless quarters in this particular game, I can say that watching this video was extremely enjoyable! I don’t normally watch videos that are this long, but I simply could not look away! It definitely brought me back to my days of managing an arcade. You’ve got quite this collection there!! Thanks for sharing!
I just found your channel today! What a great hobby you have! I've always dreamed of having a mancave someday, filled with the best 80's arcade games! As a traveler myself, I imagine the road trips to find those classic machines have been half of the fun! Keep up the amazing work! Sincerely, a former Hoosier!
Speaking as someone who knows nothing about fixing / restoring these types of games, but has been involved with other types of restoration projects.... I can say that I LOVE this video! Seeing the starting point, hurdles, expense, and finished project is educational & interesting. Well done!
WOW! You are a true restoration craftsman!! What an amazing job. I have such fond memories of this era of games. Unbelievable how you brought it back to life.
In the late 80s, when I was around 20, I was an electronics technician in the Navy, living in Maine. I went through a time where I would search through the local dump and get electronics to tinker with. One day I found a "Moon Patrol" arcade game. I scabbed in a power supply and the darn thing worked! It had a little video garbage, but was playable. I hung onto it for a while, but it was lost to the kid-raising and moving of my 20s. 😢
That's a really good find :) It's certainly fun bringing games back to life--and not terribly complicated unless you are dealing with circuit board repairs. Most of them are pretty straightforward. Well, at least straightforward enough to get me into fixing them up!
@tcurtis49 I saw on the map in your video that you're near Bedford, Indiana. I'm near Nineveh, Indiana. I have been making a gaming arcade machine for years. I use a client PC with a 32" LED monitor and a home made 400 Watt audio system. It's a work in progress but sounds and looks amazing.
In my youth I definitely took the cathode ray put of an old crt tv and used it to experiment with one of those old solar spinning bulbs with the black and white fins. I was able to make plasma inside the glass bulb and spin the fins with the electrons shooting out of the cathode. I will not tell my children about this until they're older.
Welcome, stumbler :) My channel languished in UA-cam oblivion for a long time but is apparently being blessed by the algorithm gods. I’m just glad people are entertained by it :)
Dude! Thank you so much for this! I shed a tear watching this. In '82, I was in 8th grade, and our bus stop was a 7-11. There was a Defender machine, and Tron machine in the 7-11, and my friends and I dropped many quarters in both games, especially the Tron. Thanks again for this video, so many memories. When I found your channel, I subscribed immediately!
That's great! So much fun back in the day spotting new arcade games to play. Glad I was able to provide an emotional journey for you. And thanks for subscribing :)
Hey Tod! Your restoration of the Tron video game arcade is absolutely stunning. I was captivated by the transformation you achieved, and I want to thank you for sharing it with us. Your work is truly inspiring. It's incredible to hear that one of these units made it all the way to Zimbabwe Bulawayo in the early 1990s. It's a testament to the lasting impact and allure of these classic arcade games. The fact that they reached places like Zimbabwe truly showcases the power of imagination and the universal appeal of gaming. I'm in awe of the value you placed on preserving this piece of history. It's not just about the monetary costs, but the intrinsic value that these games hold for so many people. You've done an amazing job in saving precious memories and preserving the history of gaming. Sending warm greetings and best wishes from Cape Town, South Africa. Keep up the fantastic work, Tod!
Thanks so much and that is crazy. It’s definitely a special part of arcade history. Glad to have a viewer from so far away-amazing how video games help tie the world together :)
That is an impressive restoration. And one worth restoring back to its splendor. I'll never forget the first time I rounded the corner as a 10-year-old and seen this gleaming jewel at the now defunct Green Acres in Carmichael, CA. Nice job!
@tcurtis49 This Cab was certainly special. The glowing elements, back lighting, and sounds were different than anything else, and it was in stereo. Also, it was fun. This is in my imaginary personal arcade, along with Star Wars, Donkey Kong, Marble Madness, Spy Hunter, Elevator Action, Dragons Lair, Track and field, Joust, Battle Zone.
These restoration videos are an absolute joy; this was the perfect thing to watch on a Sunday morning. Can't wait to see your work on the Pole Position cabinet.
Thanks so much! Pole Position is not quite as intense so hopefully will be a little shorter video to put together. And I still have to wrap up the restore :)
This was an incredible restoration project for a great game. I, too, loved playing this as a kid when it came out. Thanks for sharing all your hard work and passion for this!
I have used Micromesh kits to polish scratches and pits out of plexiglass aircraft canopies. It went from 400 grit all the way down to 3000 grit. Could do some amazing work with those kits. One had to remember to disperse the polishing over an area wider than the actual damage to cut down on distortion. It got more time consuming, the finer the grit became. Also worked well for putting mirror finishes on metal. The great thing about them is that they are reusable.
I used to deliver, fix, and maintain video games in the early 80s. This was in a small town in Iowa, with our headquarters in Des Moines. Tron was one of the last games before I quit. I truly believe we were affiliated with the mob. Black limos don't usually make visits to small town Iowa, plus other observations
Haha…it seems like the mob had a hand in a lot of arcade operations back then from what I’ve heard…but the Iowa mob? I lived in Iowa City for 2 years in the 90s getting my Masters degree and it’s a pretty laid back state :)
@tcurtis49 Right before I started, he had been kicked out of Nebraska for having gambling machines. Sometimes, he couldn't make payroll, and we would empty the games for the quarters. Took bags to the bank.
Impressive restoration. I really appreciated the inclusion of all of the fails and troubleshooting. Too many restoration videos skip the "warts." Well done.
What a project, awesome. I was waiting to see what you would do with the side art since the early paint job. Cool that you could keep the original art.
Great restoration! And despite the length of the video I never felt the need to fast forward because your editing and pacing is spot on. I know this was a lot of work. Great job!
Man!!.. that's beautiful, I can still remember the spot where the machine was on my (then) local arcade, so many tokens but so many happy hours!!, I miss those arcade times. Excellent restoration btw! congrats!.
Great video, music was fine for me too. I'm looking forward to watching the Pole Position restoration. Good luck with finding a bigger house to hold all your arcade games.
I just keep piling them in…and in the garage, my office, wherever :) Pole Position is interesting and just yesterday I picked up a gutted out cockpit version, so I may be making another one :)
Clicked on this thinking it'd be a short 5 minutes or so. Stayed glued to the tube watching this to the end and enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for taking the time and effort documenting your restoration adventure for us all. Absolutely amazing! I wish you luck in future restorations and banana production.
Thanks! I knew I was doing something risky making them so long but it’s hard to feel like you’ve been a part of the journey on a short recap. I’m glad there are others like me that want to experience the whole process.
When installing cap kits I prefer to mark all the tops of the old caps with a sharpie first. Then I remove old cap and install then promptly install the new caps one at a time. It may take longer but the process is simple, precise and works well. Sometimes I do remove more than one cap at a time but when I do, they are all the same value.
Good tip-I recently recapped a chassis that had been previously redone and each cap had a sharpie mark from the last person. I’m with you-I go one at a time unless I’m in a bank of several of the same value.
I bought one of those uprights from a closing video game house. This thing was heavy lugging upstairs but awesome once I had it inside. Best $200 I spent. It was a great stress receiver, friends always wanted to play on it, it was a chic magnet during parties. I later gave it away to a buddy of mine when I moved.
Fascinating video! Maaan, Tron was easily the most bad-ass looking arcade game with the black lighting, glowing joystick and the trippy electronic sounds.
When I saw the condition of that cab I thought there's no way you're saving that thing, might as well just rebuild the cab. Boy was I wrong, you did a great job!
@@tcurtis49 I'm 40 minutes in and loving it! But, when you started replacing the art, I immediately wondered why you didn't do it all from scratch. You clearly have the skills! Maybe I'll find out later in the video?
Man, I love those oldies! It reminds me of the golden age of arcades. In the past, I did the electronic servicing of many of those. Maybe I could buy some of those old units and try to restore them, well, but teaming up with somebody better than me for the casing/graphics. Thanks for sharing your hobby, it was very nice to watch!
As TRON was a formative part of my childhood, I want to thank you for saving and restoring this machine. You did a FANTASTIC JOB on it and it looks and sounds soooooooooooo good! End of line.
Tron the movie have change my life, these movie made me gamer, i was a young boy at this time, my mom bought me intelivision with all the TRON games on it. So you understand how this restoration strike my heart :) ... but this cabinet wasn't my favorite, it was Disc of Tron who eat my coins, all... my coins (the Environmental/Cockpit cabinet was gorgeous with reflex miror system ... insane) Congrate for the hard work you've done !! Your passion is shining ...
Thanks so much! I hope I can find an EDOT someday…one was set on a curb near Chicago last year for the taking, so it is possible! I’m glad the video brought back good memories :)
Todd, you ROCK! Man, I wish more people were like you about anything from the past that needs to be restored or saved. Thanks for making the videos and sharing them.
Tron was my favorite game at The Malt Shop in Mt. Pleasant MI….my buddy was playing Galaga for hours on one quarter….i had forgotten about some of the parts of this game and only remember the light cycle…it was a nice reminder….
I used to build wiring harnesses for a living. You should flag mark the wires on both ends, so if you encounter a problem in the future, or you sell the cab later, it will be easier to troubleshoot!!! Especially if you made any mods or changed a wire color during a splice!!! Nice job on the cab!!!! NEW SUB!!!
I will certainly try to do that. I had a lot more wiring harness fun on the Red Tent project. In all honesty, I think it’s fun making harnesses and connectors once you have the right tools :)
Nice video. I do watch all kinds of nerdy stuff but almost 2 hours of arcade restore.. it's been great 🙂 Good call on the joystick too, I love it lighting up like that!
The fact you took a shell in that condition and restored it is incredible. Most would have simply let it go to the trash/junk. When I saw the rot and swelling of that bottom part of the cab I thought for sure you were just going to cut it back to the good board and glue new stuff from there. Your method while time consuming is much better, more authentic, and helps preserve original integrity of the cab. Phenomenal job!! Perfect way to save and preserve a piece of video gaming history and a legend of its time. Much respect.
Thanks! Definitely nothing wrong with cutting and rebasing the whole thing but it did work out pretty well doing the repair. Surprisingly well-I was prepared to ditch it and cut new sides if it didn’t feel sturdy but that resin is tough stuff. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello Tod. I was looking through my YT home feed and saw this video. I clicked on it and was ready to see your journey from start to finish. I enjoyed the editing and production and seeing you bring this old classic back from the trash heap. Thank you very much for this informative, enjoyable trek. I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to going through your archives and seeing all of the new videos you produce.
That’s very kind. I’m glad you find these enjoyable to watch-my main goal is to just have people feel like they are on the same journey of discovery with me as I go along. I have a couple of video game collecting videos to get to but am keeping my eyes open for the next epic arcade game restoration now that the weather is starting to warm up.
This video has been recommended to me a few times, but the length always scared me off, but it was really engrossing and so well done. I mean, that was one heck of a restoration! I wasn't sure about keeping the side graphics, but in the end you made them look really good. TRON is one of my favorites - such a great looking machine - and it's great to see one saved from the scrap heap. Great job!
It seems like I get a lot of that with my projects and you can definitely fix it, but it takes quite a bit of time and effort. Glad you liked the video!
Thank you Tod. This video made my day. ♥ The community needs more folks like you and your family. There are only so many of these treasures left out in the wild. God bless.
Tod, awesome video man! Hoping to collect and restore arcades in the future after I get out of the military. I can't justify getting into the hobby when I move every three years, but I can learn and live vicariously through you and the other arcade UA-camrs. Looking forward to the Pole Position restore, definitely on my grail list, love that game!
Thanks for the nice comments! Hopefully you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy this kind of stuff when you get settled. Pole Position has been rough wrapping up but I’m getting there :)
It's funny, I saw Tron at the theater back in the day but after watching Tron: Legacy the cut scenes here from the movie are kind of simple. Back there I remember blinking a lot at the theater trying to focus my eyes on the scenes. Your before and after on the console sure is a big transition. What a great job. Brought back a lot of fond memories at arcades playing this game. Oh also I used to work a lot with fiberglass and making models and original plugs for the molds. The Bondo you talked about the kick over or curing time. It also depends on the heat and humidity of the outside temperature on how must time you have to work with it.
@@tcurtis49 Definitely 😀 Oh forgot to mention I really like the new joystick. WIth it glowing that would have looked awesome in the arcades back in the day.
OH MY GOD! I wanted to watch a Tron arcade build while I put together my Arcade1Up Tron at home and suddenly I see the mystery seller from the end of Nintendo Quest! Very happy to find your channel! What a killer collection! Funny if tragic story: I once drove up to help my buddy Callan with his arcade repairs at his warehouse maaaaaaany years ago, and I drove up to his loading dock just in time to see a full size environmental Discs of Tron wobble off the ramp and take a header straight onto the concrete. It was a high loading dock and the machine didn't stand a chance. Exploded like it was made of Legos. Talk about traumatizing. I'm glad to see this classic Tron get some TLC! Cheers!
I think enough time has passed that I can reveal a secret. At the time of the Movie's release, I worked in a mall across the hall from an arcade. Whenever their machines would malfunction, I would fix them. they always opened the machine doors for me and clicked off lots of credits. When the Tron machine arrived, the instructions said that they were to put it in the back room and not to put it out on the floor until the movie's opening day. they invited me over to play the game in the back room every night after closing. We played for hours every night for the next week. On opening day, everyone around me watching me play the game was amazed at how good I was on the first day!!
I think you are probably safe! That is really cool, for sure!
I'M TELLING!!!!!!!!!!
Report to the MCP game grid.
Expect a letter from Disney's lawyers.
You were basically a sandpit tester, excellent.
I really didn't expect myself to sit here and watch the entire hour and 50 minutes, but it was so well put together. Awesome job - and game at that. LOVE the movies. Awesome stuff.
That’s great! I’m glad you enjoyed it :)
I thought the same thing. And then did the exact same thing. Then I ended up watching the Movie Tron in the afternoon 🤣
I was of the same thought speaking from 12 June 24
Same here. I took some breaks, but the video was strangely meditative.
Lol, same. It’s 1:40 am. Time to crash.
I was hoping that the Discs of Tron game was one of the mini games, I played a PC version of it back in the 90s that felt pretty amazing, although the 80s version is essentially the building block for it. Congratulations on managing to restore or rebuild this one, unlimited credits deserved!
Yes, that is an awesome game. I just saw one at the Circle Center Mall in Indianapolis. Thanks!
TOTALLY RAD 👍🏻😎
Kevin Flynn once said, “There’s No Problems, Only Solutions”
Wow! That wasn't just a restoration, it was a resurrection! Excellent work!
Thanks! And I kind of agree- it was something!
surely there must be better caninets out there 🥸
@@ProtoType99468 probably for much more money. I wonder if he could've built a new one from scratch with the maple plywood more easily.
@@denimadept Probably but I bet it wouldn't feel as rewarding to build a new Tron cabinet as it probably does to save and restore one like this. Not only will the cabinet be special to Tod now but this cabinet which tons of people have probably got memories of playing at their arcade will continue on for a while longer now. Granted the original guts are gone but quite often even non-working things can be sentimental to people. Some of the people who even played on this very cabinet may see this and be glad it got an extra life.
This brings back a flood of memories. I remember watching my cousin playing the TRON arcade game at the theater and then seeing the movie. My nine year old mind was blown. I know the arcade game came out in August of 1980 (a full month after the film release) so it would have probably been September when we saw the movie. Thanks for bringing back this great piece of 80’s culture. Now, if I had just held on to all those Battlestar Gallactica toys ………
I have the same kind of memories and it looks like Tron has a special place in many hearts :)
That water damage was beyond what I would have considered saveable. Kudos to you for brining it back from it's watery grave!
Yeah, I felt the same way for sure. I was close to cutting new sides but wanted to see what was possible. It certainly worked out in the end.
@@tcurtis49 The results are amazing! Very satisfying to see you repair the bottom like that.
I'd have taken off a larger chunk just to save time. I love restoring things, but actually recompressing the chipboard to its original form ...a bit too much for me. But it's nice to see someone be so meticulous.
I plan not to restore a cabinet, but to create a copy of the millepede cabaret, with modern replacement CPU (Pi or PC) but with a CRT.
@@tcurtis49 I make/restore guitar speaker cabinets. I wouldn't have been that patient. LOL I would have measured [and re-measured] to remake the cabinet from scratch out of birch ply.
I remember this being one of the loudest games I every played. I know there is a volume control, and maybe that was the way it came from the factory, but I remember how immersed in sound I was playing this at the age of 13-14. And I LOVE the theme song played in the game before the start of the levels!
You can definitely crank up the sound with those dual speakers. Awesome sounds :)
Beautiful. I restored a pair of San Francisco RUSH The Rock a few years back. I wanted to keep them after it was done, but they ended up going to a good home instead. I just found your channel today and I'm already thinking about getting back into arcade restoration again.
Very cool! I love racing games but they take up so much space…
@@tcurtis49 Yeah... That's unfortunately why I don't have them anymore. :)
I remember when I first saw this movie, I thought it would be so AWESOME to live in a loft above my own full arcade. My friends would have been so envious.
I know-it would have been the ultimate :)
I am 25 years old. I love you videos. What you do for the retro community is invaluable to us, whether most people my age know it not. The same goes for the 8-bit guy, adrian black, and all the other retro hobbyists out there. Your knowledge is invaluable. I know these are just video games, but they are a key part of history, so thank you.
Glad you like them! Thanks!
I was cringing when I first saw that cabinet. But your repair know how really blew me away. great video!
Thanks!
I loved Tron back in the 80s, the arcade I used to go to had a stand-up one that you walk into and you play it standing up but it's a cabinet that you're fully inside of, the speakers were like a surround sound inside of it, was super cool!
That was probably the sequel, Environmental Discs of Tron. It had a really unique cabinet like you are describing. Unless maybe they made a version of that for the original Tron. I’m not sure.
@@tcurtis49 Yeah, I'm not sure I was a teenager Back then. I just remember the tron game.
Wow! Took me back to the arcade on the Navy base in Port Hueneme, California. I was 9 years old and absolutely sucked at it but loved the look so much. Once I quickly lost my dollars worth of quarters, I would become that annoying kid looking over the edge of the cabinet to watch. LOL Good Times! Thanks for sharing your restoration.
Thanks! It seems like this game brings back so many memories for people. That’s awesome :)
Wells gardner monitor. Used to repair those games and monitors back in the 80's. Repaired thousands of them. Still have my blue soldapullt.
I’m always happy to work on old WG monitors. Got 2 G07s on the table right now. Haven’t seen one I couldn’t repair yet :)
Great video. Watched it start to finish. Back in the day (81, 82?) I spent all my quarters on a lonely "Starcastle" game at a local supermarket. Life moved on, but in @1998 I was at an auction house. They had a Starcastle game. It didn't work but I bought it for 10 bucks. It did not have a back plate. I closed the micro switch and it worked. I still have it to this day. I found spare main, power boards and a spare control panel. I also found the original repair manual. With all the spare parts It should outlive me. Other than a tiny audio issue it works perfect. It's still my favorite game.
That is a good one! I bought several games back in the day as non-working only to be that switch on the back door needing set. Easy fix :) Thanks!
I'm impressed. I saw the water damage of that particle board and was thinking "use the cabined to make a replacement template, outsource for the graphics" but that would have been even more expensive I guess. Makes sense to have done the resin and filler pours. Well done sir, and you've taught me a thing or 2
I was impressed by the result and will likely try it again on my next project. But it would have been perfectly logical to just cut new sides. I certainly like to see what I can save whenever possible and was glad to keep the original sideart on it. Thanks!
You sir, are a master. I would've not even started on this one. The worst I ever had was a seemingly (at some point) waterlogged Joust where I eventually gave up on the cabinet and traded it out for one in better condition, moving all the electronics etc. to the replacement. The guy I traded it to gave up on it too. I *did* warn him ahead of time.
I have yet to give up on one but certainly question my sanity :) Thanks!
Today...it is truly a treasure to be able to play those old arcade games of the early eighties.For someone who is about 55 now....its very nostalgic..
Definitely!
@@djsi38t I'm with ya. I thought it was gone forever.
That’s a lot of passion to rebuild a cabinet in that condition. I have repaired particleboard furniture, using 30 minute two-part epoxy with micro balloons. It makes for a very strong Repair and the micro balloons thicken up the epoxy just enough to shape areas without the epoxy flowing out. I would love to have my own Tron cabinet someday but At this point, All I have is movie memorabilia and collectibles from the original movie as well as legacy. It is the one game I’ve dreamt about all my life ever since I walked into an arcade in 1982 put my first quarter in. My late father had taken me to see the movie and I was hooked from that very minute. I’m in the process of moving and will have a small Arcade room built, but I will only start with a legends ultimate. It’s funny that I’m obsessed with the game that I can only get through level three on each of the games.
Someone else suggested adding talc. Lately I’ve been using very fine sawdust and it works really well to thicken it just a bit. Glad you liked the video and good luck with the arcade!
This is so impressive. Not much phases me anymore these days, having been on the internet for so long now, but this craftsmanship and level of bravery to take this daunting project on in the first place, truly amazed me in the realest sense of the word.
I’m glad to help redeem the internet, at least for today :) Thanks for the nice compliment. Daunting is probably the best word to describe what I thought when I first saw it in person.
I used to have a Battlezone I scored from the curb near my parents house when I was in college. After several years in their garage and I hadn't worked on fixing it I had to sell it on eBay. I hope it ended up somewhere good like this Tron did.
I hope so! It’s a classic :)
One of the iconic arcade machines of my day, I'm insanely jealous of your abilities to get this from a messed up carcass to a cabinet that wouldn't look out of place in the mid 80's when I played them to death. Much respect man.
I'm always on the lookout for games that had some meaning for me. Getting them back to where I can feel those same feelings from walking around in an arcade in the 80s is really rewarding. I appreciate the kind words :)
Well done sir! Very impressed with your work, no corner cutting! I wish more people would took pride in their work these days like you show here. Awesome job!
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it.
I remember Tron in one of my local arcades, about 45 years ago. Glad to see its still appreciated. 😊
It’s a classic!
Well done for preserving this beautiful machine! Really appreciate the cash spent detail!
Thanks! I usually lose track of how much I spent until I add it to the videos. It’s typically more than what I expected but it’s all for fun anyway :)
Tron had some of the strongest 'vibes' of any arcade cabinet! Nice work Tod!
Thanks! It sure did!
It was very atmospheric.
Watching the electrical portion makes me miss working on aviation electronics like I did in the Navy. I worked I-level at AIMD. I used to love troubleshooting electronic boards with the Huntron Tracker 2 and an Oscilloscope, plus doing 3M soldering. I did a lot of work on a lot of different electronic systems as well as engine systems. It is not all that different than what he does in this video just we had more troubleshooting equipment options. You can do a lot like he did with the multimeter as well. Those were fun days as well as very busy days.
It's always satisfying doing troubleshooting. I have an oscilloscope now so I'm learning a few new things along the way. I definitely enjoy that part more than the cabinet work. Thanks!
What a fantastic restoration, clearly a labour of love on show!
Thanks!
These videos are way under viewed for the time it took to complete them. I hope we can get the word out.
Good video. I still have my original stand up Tron arcade machine that looks like yours. Never replaced a part yet. The joystick is slightly loose, but no other problems. 100% playable and responsive. Feels like a lot of power firing up the machine and monitor... hums almost... 1980's tech. Good deal with your restore.
Thanks! Glad you have a nice one yourself. And that power firing up…it’s no joke :)
Honestly, that is the best restoration video I have ever watched.
I am an avid Tron film follower and to watch you practically rebuild it from start to finish was amazing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That circuit board that you are replacing the caps on is one of the best boards I have ever seen. That must have been fun to work on.
It was a fun project for sure :)
@tcurtis49 everything on that board was marked for easy replacement. Now days you be lucky to get any annotations on a pcb
@@theboz1419 Yeah they were nicely labeled back then, for sure!
I have some very fond memories of playing this game.
Sadly it has never been included in any official, licensed arcade compilations, and it is unplayable on MAME because of the required spinner control.
ETA: I would have thought that deterioated particleboard was beyond salvage. I am very impressed with the results!
Thanks! It is tough on an emulator to get the experience. It’s one reason I try to look for games to keep that are unique with their controls. But I’ll take anything in need of love :)
I dont normal watch very long videos, but this was very interesting, Enjoyed how much hard work and love goes into restoring an Arcade machine... Keeping gaming history alive 👾
Thanks!
Amazing work, as a former vending / videogame / pinball repair tech, you did much more work than our 'professional' jobs. Congrats, and wonderful work.
Much appreciated. Time is not money when it’s just a hobby so I can take a little longer with the repairs and restorations, and sometimes go a little overboard. Thanks!
What an amazing journey! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
I owned a coin-op route business from 1993 to 1999 with many locations from fun centers to convenience stores and any place that would let us put a machine in. That's where I first cut my teeth learning electronics diagnostics and repair and all kinds of other things. I purchased Randy Fromm's Arcade School on VHS, watched those and spent a good deal of time in the back of the Colorado Game Exchange with the repair techs learning from them. I moved on to other ventures, but I'll always have a deep love for arcades and arcade machines.
You did a top notch job restoring this Tron! I really appreciate that you did everything properly and didn't do any hack jobs like I see a few other arcade (and automotive) channels do consistently. You earned a sub!
The hack that really grates on me is when they encourage sanding on point contacts/switches which will make them work temporarily but removes the thin high quality contact alloy metal exposing the cheap metal underneath that degrades quickly. The guy I purchased my first few machines from told me to sand those contacts with a nail file to clean them, and I completely ruined an antique electro-mechanical pinball machine doing that not long after.
It was one of the techs at the CGE that taught me that contacts need cleaning, not sanding, and that the proper way is any chemical or non-abrasive that will remove gunk and polish but not damage the contact finish, one of his common tools was a simple pink eraser, sometimes with some contact cleaner; a pink eraser and D5 is my go to now. Some people laugh in my face when I try to teach them this eraser trick, but it works quick and easy without any damage. This works on any metal contact, points, edge connectors, pins, etc.
Thanks! I try to do what's best in the long run as much as possible by listening to the pros but always learning new things as I go. I've used a pink eraser forever cleaning contacts--I still do it from time to time, but once I got used to using a fiberglass brush and deoxit I've just stuck with it. Much appreciated and I am in the middle of some interesting projects right now that I can hopefully detail before long.
@@tcurtis49 I may have to try one of those fiberglass brushes, it looks like they work great.
Everything I've watched you do from cabinet repair on that old dodgy fiber board to your ability to diagnose and decipher a schematic to get those crazy wonky old boards running if I was still running a coin-op route I would hire you immediately. I do think you've moved beyond just a hobbyist, you do a lot better job than several arcade channels that tout themselves as professional.
If I didn't have so much going on right now I would be doing a cap kit on my stand up Double Dragon, you've kinda given me the bug again.
That's very kind and I've picked up a lot from doing it for so long. I started buying arcade games at auctions in the mid 1990s while in dental school in Indianapolis. I've always been a technology nerd and a computer programmer so that helped me understand the technical side of things. The rest has been trial and error, seeing what other people are doing, and having some artistic and hand coordination skills from being an orthodontist. But it really comes down to patience and taking things one step at a time. I appreciate the thought and hope you have fun when you get to the cap kit--I have 2 G07s to rebuild as part of my ongoing projects this weekend myself that I've been putting off.
@@tcurtis49 I'm looking forward to your future videos!
amazing news story about the game in its original release. would have loved to visit that factory.
Me, too! It just seems crazy. The factory footage from the Pole Position restoration is also amazing.
As someone who has put countless quarters in this particular game, I can say that watching this video was extremely enjoyable! I don’t normally watch videos that are this long, but I simply could not look away! It definitely brought me back to my days of managing an arcade. You’ve got quite this collection there!! Thanks for sharing!
I'm also surprised how many people watch it all the way through. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I just found your channel today! What a great hobby you have! I've always dreamed of having a mancave someday, filled with the best 80's arcade games! As a traveler myself, I imagine the road trips to find those classic machines have been half of the fun! Keep up the amazing work! Sincerely, a former Hoosier!
Thanks! There are always opportunities out there to find a classic game and give it some love. And the road trips are probably the funnest part :)
Beautiful! It's so cool that people keep these important pieces of game history alive.
Thanks!
One of the best restoration videos on UA-cam! Superb and I have watched it at least five times 😂 Well Done 👍
Wow, thanks!
Speaking as someone who knows nothing about fixing / restoring these types of games, but has been involved with other types of restoration projects.... I can say that I LOVE this video! Seeing the starting point, hurdles, expense, and finished project is educational & interesting. Well done!
Thanks so much-it means a lot to me that people enjoy the process like I do.
WOW! You are a true restoration craftsman!! What an amazing job.
I have such fond memories of this era of games.
Unbelievable how you brought it back to life.
Thanks! Much appreciated!
Just wanted to say thanks for saving a part of gaming history and keeping this gem out of the landfill.
Thanks!
In the late 80s, when I was around 20, I was an electronics technician in the Navy, living in Maine. I went through a time where I would search through the local dump and get electronics to tinker with.
One day I found a "Moon Patrol" arcade game. I scabbed in a power supply and the darn thing worked! It had a little video garbage, but was playable. I hung onto it for a while, but it was lost to the kid-raising and moving of my 20s. 😢
That's a really good find :) It's certainly fun bringing games back to life--and not terribly complicated unless you are dealing with circuit board repairs. Most of them are pretty straightforward. Well, at least straightforward enough to get me into fixing them up!
@tcurtis49 I saw on the map in your video that you're near Bedford, Indiana. I'm near Nineveh, Indiana. I have been making a gaming arcade machine for years. I use a client PC with a 32" LED monitor and a home made 400 Watt audio system. It's a work in progress but sounds and looks amazing.
@@Twiddlerdammit Yep, not that far away. Sounds awesome :)
2.30am here in the UK, just watched it all in complete awe. Very impressive work! Congratulations on a superb job, Tod!
Thanks! Ton of UK viewers lately. That’s great!
@@tcurtis49 Another UK viewer here - great job man! :) Liked and Subscribed.
In my youth I definitely took the cathode ray put of an old crt tv and used it to experiment with one of those old solar spinning bulbs with the black and white fins. I was able to make plasma inside the glass bulb and spin the fins with the electrons shooting out of the cathode. I will not tell my children about this until they're older.
I hope you don’t glow in the dark :)
I just stumbled upon this channel yesterday and wow, what awesome content! Excellent work!!!
Welcome, stumbler :) My channel languished in UA-cam oblivion for a long time but is apparently being blessed by the algorithm gods. I’m just glad people are entertained by it :)
Dude! Thank you so much for this! I shed a tear watching this. In '82, I was in 8th grade, and our bus stop was a 7-11. There was a Defender machine, and Tron machine in the 7-11, and my friends and I dropped many quarters in both games, especially the Tron. Thanks again for this video, so many memories. When I found your channel, I subscribed immediately!
That's great! So much fun back in the day spotting new arcade games to play. Glad I was able to provide an emotional journey for you. And thanks for subscribing :)
Hey Tod! Your restoration of the Tron video game arcade is absolutely stunning. I was captivated by the transformation you achieved, and I want to thank you for sharing it with us. Your work is truly inspiring.
It's incredible to hear that one of these units made it all the way to Zimbabwe Bulawayo in the early 1990s. It's a testament to the lasting impact and allure of these classic arcade games. The fact that they reached places like Zimbabwe truly showcases the power of imagination and the universal appeal of gaming.
I'm in awe of the value you placed on preserving this piece of history. It's not just about the monetary costs, but the intrinsic value that these games hold for so many people. You've done an amazing job in saving precious memories and preserving the history of gaming.
Sending warm greetings and best wishes from Cape Town, South Africa. Keep up the fantastic work, Tod!
Thanks so much and that is crazy. It’s definitely a special part of arcade history. Glad to have a viewer from so far away-amazing how video games help tie the world together :)
That is an impressive restoration. And one worth restoring back to its splendor. I'll never forget the first time I rounded the corner as a 10-year-old and seen this gleaming jewel at the now defunct Green Acres in Carmichael, CA. Nice job!
Thanks! Seems like this game brings back a lot of memories :)
@tcurtis49 This Cab was certainly special. The glowing elements, back lighting, and sounds were different than anything else, and it was in stereo. Also, it was fun. This is in my imaginary personal arcade, along with Star Wars, Donkey Kong, Marble Madness, Spy Hunter, Elevator Action, Dragons Lair, Track and field, Joust, Battle Zone.
That's a great list...I have a few but am always watching out for those others...
These restoration videos are an absolute joy; this was the perfect thing to watch on a Sunday morning. Can't wait to see your work on the Pole Position cabinet.
Thanks so much! Pole Position is not quite as intense so hopefully will be a little shorter video to put together. And I still have to wrap up the restore :)
This was an incredible restoration project for a great game. I, too, loved playing this as a kid when it came out. Thanks for sharing all your hard work and passion for this!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I had no idea how many people had fond memories of this game like me but it makes me very happy to rekindle them :)
I used to love playing Sinistar and Gallaga !
Me as well!
I have used Micromesh kits to polish scratches and pits out of plexiglass aircraft canopies. It went from 400 grit all the way down to 3000 grit. Could do some amazing work with those kits. One had to remember to disperse the polishing over an area wider than the actual damage to cut down on distortion. It got more time consuming, the finer the grit became. Also worked well for putting mirror finishes on metal. The great thing about them is that they are reusable.
I will certainly check into that. Thanks!
Dang this video brought back some memories, the hours I spent hanging out at the local arcade and the quarters I pumped into this game.
Great memories!
I used to deliver, fix, and maintain video games in the early 80s. This was in a small town in Iowa, with our headquarters in Des Moines. Tron was one of the last games before I quit. I truly believe we were affiliated with the mob. Black limos don't usually make visits to small town Iowa, plus other observations
Haha…it seems like the mob had a hand in a lot of arcade operations back then from what I’ve heard…but the Iowa mob? I lived in Iowa City for 2 years in the 90s getting my Masters degree and it’s a pretty laid back state :)
@tcurtis49 Right before I started, he had been kicked out of Nebraska for having gambling machines. Sometimes, he couldn't make payroll, and we would empty the games for the quarters. Took bags to the bank.
Impressive restoration. I really appreciated the inclusion of all of the fails and troubleshooting. Too many restoration videos skip the "warts." Well done.
I feel the same way. You learn from your own mistakes and shortcomings and from watching others. I don’t mind sharing my missteps :)
What a project, awesome. I was waiting to see what you would do with the side art since the early paint job. Cool that you could keep the original art.
Thanks!
Great restoration! And despite the length of the video I never felt the need to fast forward because your editing and pacing is spot on. I know this was a lot of work. Great job!
Thanks! Yes, a lot of work…but worth it if people get enjoyment out of watching. I appreciate the compliment!
What a fantastic restoration!
Man!!.. that's beautiful, I can still remember the spot where the machine was on my (then) local arcade, so many tokens but so many happy hours!!, I miss those arcade times. Excellent restoration btw! congrats!.
Great video, music was fine for me too. I'm looking forward to watching the Pole Position restoration. Good luck with finding a bigger house to hold all your arcade games.
I just keep piling them in…and in the garage, my office, wherever :) Pole Position is interesting and just yesterday I picked up a gutted out cockpit version, so I may be making another one :)
Clicked on this thinking it'd be a short 5 minutes or so. Stayed glued to the tube watching this to the end and enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for taking the time and effort documenting your restoration adventure for us all. Absolutely amazing! I wish you luck in future restorations and banana production.
Thanks! I knew I was doing something risky making them so long but it’s hard to feel like you’ve been a part of the journey on a short recap. I’m glad there are others like me that want to experience the whole process.
Same here. The video was almost finished before I realized the length of the video. Great work on both the machine and keeping the video interesting 🙂
When installing cap kits I prefer to mark all the tops of the old caps with a sharpie first. Then I remove old cap and install then promptly install the new caps one at a time. It may take longer but the process is simple, precise and works well. Sometimes I do remove more than one cap at a time but when I do, they are all the same value.
Good tip-I recently recapped a chassis that had been previously redone and each cap had a sharpie mark from the last person. I’m with you-I go one at a time unless I’m in a bank of several of the same value.
I bought one of those uprights from a closing video game house. This thing was heavy lugging upstairs but awesome once I had it inside. Best $200 I spent. It was a great stress receiver, friends always wanted to play on it, it was a chic magnet during parties. I later gave it away to a buddy of mine when I moved.
That's a cool story! I hope your buddy appreciated it :)
thank you so much for saving this TRON, it means the world to me as someone who adores this game and movie so much!
Thanks! I’m glad to have it all fixed up and in the arcade :)
I just now realized that the MCP was voiced by David Warner (who also played Sark and Dilinger). Amazing actor with a long career, died in 2022 at 80.
I used to play this at a fish and chip shop in London, back in the day. Amazing work. Subscribed!
Awesome :) Thanks!
Fascinating video! Maaan, Tron was easily the most bad-ass looking arcade game with the black lighting, glowing joystick and the trippy electronic sounds.
I know, it’s awesome!
Amazing job , nice to have saved another arcade game 😊
Thanks!
When I saw the condition of that cab I thought there's no way you're saving that thing, might as well just rebuild the cab. Boy was I wrong, you did a great job!
It would have been easier in the end but I’m glad to keep it as original as I can. Thanks!
@@tcurtis49 I'm 40 minutes in and loving it! But, when you started replacing the art, I immediately wondered why you didn't do it all from scratch. You clearly have the skills! Maybe I'll find out later in the video?
Actually, the answer is obvious. This made a great video!
@@halloweenengineer6283yeah there's just so much rot, fresh cab makes a lot more sense
You are not wrong he should have use used the old box for the dimensions and went with new wood. There's a time it's not worth saving
Man, I love those oldies! It reminds me of the golden age of arcades. In the past, I did the electronic servicing of many of those. Maybe I could buy some of those old units and try to restore them, well, but teaming up with somebody better than me for the casing/graphics. Thanks for sharing your hobby, it was very nice to watch!
It’s still a thriving hobby and a lot of good people out there working on these. Maybe it’s time to dip your toes back in!
As TRON was a formative part of my childhood, I want to thank you for saving and restoring this machine. You did a FANTASTIC JOB on it and it looks and sounds soooooooooooo good!
End of line.
Thanks!
Tron the movie have change my life, these movie made me gamer, i was a young boy at this time, my mom bought me intelivision with all the TRON games on it. So you understand how this restoration strike my heart :) ... but this cabinet wasn't my favorite, it was Disc of Tron who eat my coins, all... my coins (the Environmental/Cockpit cabinet was gorgeous with reflex miror system ... insane)
Congrate for the hard work you've done !! Your passion is shining ...
Thanks so much! I hope I can find an EDOT someday…one was set on a curb near Chicago last year for the taking, so it is possible! I’m glad the video brought back good memories :)
You see that glowing joystick, I would do the same for the player select and the the spinner. Good restoration 😎
This was great! Don't normally watch these but it came up and I loved TRON in the arcade so stuck around and watched the whole thing. Great work!
Thanks! Glad you liked it :)
Todd, you ROCK! Man, I wish more people were like you about anything from the past that needs to be restored or saved. Thanks for making the videos and sharing them.
Thanks! I appreciate it!
There‘s a giant amount of people collecting and refurbishing/repairing arcade machines, pinball machines, and (at least here in Germany) slot machines
Tron was my favorite game at The Malt Shop in Mt. Pleasant MI….my buddy was playing Galaga for hours on one quarter….i had forgotten about some of the parts of this game and only remember the light cycle…it was a nice reminder….
I mainly remembered the light cycle and spider stages but also that I could never figure out what was going on overall :)
@@tcurtis49 ya….but it was one of those great but very different games at the arcade….and you did a great restoration job on it….
I’m in no way a video game person but I do enjoy watching a person that has a passion for what they do and you definitely fall into that category!
I used to build wiring harnesses for a living. You should flag mark the wires on both ends, so if you encounter a problem in the future, or you sell the cab later, it will be easier to troubleshoot!!! Especially if you made any mods or changed a wire color during a splice!!! Nice job on the cab!!!! NEW SUB!!!
I will certainly try to do that. I had a lot more wiring harness fun on the Red Tent project. In all honesty, I think it’s fun making harnesses and connectors once you have the right tools :)
I have memories of original trons having those color patterns on the side. Its been a long time since I saw one.
Yes, I have found that it is perfectly normal for Tron and some related games after all.
Nice video. I do watch all kinds of nerdy stuff but almost 2 hours of arcade restore.. it's been great 🙂 Good call on the joystick too, I love it lighting up like that!
Thanks!
The fact you took a shell in that condition and restored it is incredible. Most would have simply let it go to the trash/junk. When I saw the rot and swelling of that bottom part of the cab I thought for sure you were just going to cut it back to the good board and glue new stuff from there. Your method while time consuming is much better, more authentic, and helps preserve original integrity of the cab. Phenomenal job!! Perfect way to save and preserve a piece of video gaming history and a legend of its time. Much respect.
Thanks! Definitely nothing wrong with cutting and rebasing the whole thing but it did work out pretty well doing the repair. Surprisingly well-I was prepared to ditch it and cut new sides if it didn’t feel sturdy but that resin is tough stuff. Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm not sure how I got here, but I'm a huge Tron fan. Great job on the restoration!
I have no idea how anyone gets here…but thanks!
Hello Tod. I was looking through my YT home feed and saw this video. I clicked on it and was ready to see your journey from start to finish. I enjoyed the editing and production and seeing you bring this old classic back from the trash heap. Thank you very much for this informative, enjoyable trek. I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to going through your archives and seeing all of the new videos you produce.
That’s very kind. I’m glad you find these enjoyable to watch-my main goal is to just have people feel like they are on the same journey of discovery with me as I go along. I have a couple of video game collecting videos to get to but am keeping my eyes open for the next epic arcade game restoration now that the weather is starting to warm up.
This video has been recommended to me a few times, but the length always scared me off, but it was really engrossing and so well done. I mean, that was one heck of a restoration! I wasn't sure about keeping the side graphics, but in the end you made them look really good. TRON is one of my favorites - such a great looking machine - and it's great to see one saved from the scrap heap. Great job!
Thanks! I was glad I could salvage the original sideart and have it look relatively normal. It was a fun restoration :)
Wow, awesome restoration. I never thought you can "repair" that swollen particle board that good. Well done!!
It seems like I get a lot of that with my projects and you can definitely fix it, but it takes quite a bit of time and effort. Glad you liked the video!
eine wundervolle Arbeit. Vielen Dank, dass ich teilhaben durfte. Ich liebe Tron
Thanks!
Thank you Tod. This video made my day. ♥ The community needs more folks like you and your family. There are only so many of these treasures left out in the wild. God bless.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Buen trabajo! Cuando hay talento y amor por restaurar, se ven esos resultados! Saludos desde Argentina!
Thanks!
This is honestly the best video I’ve seen all year! I don’t know why it came up as suggested, but I’m so glad it did.
Thank you!
I don't understand the algorithm either, but I'm happy you liked it. Thanks!
needs led like neon's in the t strips - all in all a fantastic restoration - well done
A legendary restoration of THE legendary arcade cabinet. Well done and thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Inverting the game and feeding resin to solidify the base was brilliant! Very nice work and I love your approach to tackling everything.
Thanks!
Tod, awesome video man! Hoping to collect and restore arcades in the future after I get out of the military. I can't justify getting into the hobby when I move every three years, but I can learn and live vicariously through you and the other arcade UA-camrs. Looking forward to the Pole Position restore, definitely on my grail list, love that game!
Thanks for the nice comments! Hopefully you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy this kind of stuff when you get settled. Pole Position has been rough wrapping up but I’m getting there :)
It's funny, I saw Tron at the theater back in the day but after watching Tron: Legacy the cut scenes here from the movie are kind of simple. Back there I remember blinking a lot at the theater trying to focus my eyes on the scenes. Your before and after on the console sure is a big transition. What a great job. Brought back a lot of fond memories at arcades playing this game. Oh also I used to work a lot with fiberglass and making models and original plugs for the molds. The Bondo you talked about the kick over or curing time. It also depends on the heat and humidity of the outside temperature on how must time you have to work with it.
Thanks! Looks like I rekindled a lot of memories of both the game and the movie with the project. So cool!
@@tcurtis49 Definitely 😀 Oh forgot to mention I really like the new joystick. WIth it glowing that would have looked awesome in the arcades back in the day.
OH MY GOD! I wanted to watch a Tron arcade build while I put together my Arcade1Up Tron at home and suddenly I see the mystery seller from the end of Nintendo Quest! Very happy to find your channel! What a killer collection! Funny if tragic story: I once drove up to help my buddy Callan with his arcade repairs at his warehouse maaaaaaany years ago, and I drove up to his loading dock just in time to see a full size environmental Discs of Tron wobble off the ramp and take a header straight onto the concrete. It was a high loading dock and the machine didn't stand a chance. Exploded like it was made of Legos. Talk about traumatizing. I'm glad to see this classic Tron get some TLC! Cheers!
Haha yes I am the mystery seller from Nintendo Quest :) And that is traumatizing about the EDOT! Thanks for the cool comment!